Automatic feed mechanism for acetylene-gas generators.



No. 762,533. PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904. E. L. IHLE; AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR, AGBTYLENE GAS GENERATORS.

APPLIOATION rmnn- JAN. 5, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Wdneiraemr- Inventor.-

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UNITED STATES Patented June 14:, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ERICK L. IHLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,533, dated June 14, 1904.

Application filed January 5, 1903.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERICK L. IHLE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeding Mechanism for Gas-Generators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an automatic feeding mechanism designed more especially for feeding calcium carbid to the generatingchamber of an acetylene-generator; but the essential features of the invention maybe employed in other arts where the working conditions met in this art are present.

The invention consists of the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the device taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

As shown in said drawings, A designates a sheet-metal tank which is divided by a hori- Zontal partition (0 into a lower or generating chamber A and an upper or gas chamber A. The generating-chamber contains a body of water which fills the chamber to within a short distance of said partition, into which water the calcium carbid is fed, whereby the gas is generated in a manner familiar to those acquainted with this art. Suitable means (not shown) will be provided for supplying Water to the generating-chamber. The chamber A above the diaphragm (0 receives the usual gasholder A which is immersed at its open end in a body of liquid contained in the compartment A, said liquid constituting a liquid seal which prevents the escape of gas from the holder. Said holder communicates with the generating-chamber through a pipe c, which opens through the diaphragm a and extends upwardly a distance into the holder, as shown in Fig. 1, and the gas is discharged from said holder through a pipe c which extends downwardly from the upper end of the holder and laterally at its lower end through the side wall Serial No. 137,849. (No model.)

of the chamber. The holder is raised and lowered in a familiar manner by the pressure of gas therein, and the holder is guided in its Vertical movements by means of vertical guides A, attached to the upper part of said tank, which are engaged by apertured horizontal bars A, attached to said holder. The construction thus far described is a familiar one and may be made of any preferred type.

Next referring to the automatic carbid-feeding mechanism consituting my invention, said parts are made as follows: B designates a feeding chute or chamber which is located at one side of said tank and in open communication at its lower end with the generating-chamber. Said chute is provided at its upper end with a closed hopper B, through which carbid is fed to the chute. Said hopper B is provided with a restricted inlet 7), which is adapted to communicate with apipe leading from a source supplyingthe carbid. Located below said hopper is a transverse chamber B into which the carbid passes from said hopper and from which it is discharged to the chute B below the same by the feeding mechanism constituting my invention. The feeding-chamber B is herein shown as formed in the upper part of the chute B by extending a horizontal partition 6 partially across said-chute. The material directed into said chute from the hopper is fed into said chute through the medium of a spiral conveyer C, the shafts of which have rotative hearing in the side walls of the feeding-chamber. The shaft 0 of said conveyer extends beyond the chamber-wall and is provided outside of said wall with a ratchet-wheel C, which is adapted for engagement by an actuating part the movement of which is controlled by the rise and fall of the gas-holder A, the feed of the carbid to the generating-chamber being thus controlled by the pressure of gas in said holder. The operative actuating devices for said feed-screw C so controlled by the pressure in the gas-holder are made as follows: D designates a vertically-reciprocatory rod or bar which is attached at the upper end of the holder A through the medium of a fitting (Z and has sliding engagement with a guideloop d, attached to the side wall of the tank A. The said vertically-movable bar D is loosely or pivotally connected at its lower end with a bar I), which is provided between its ends with a part D having downwardly-directed ratchet teeth, which are adapted to bear against the teeth of the ratchet-wheel O of the feed-conveyer. Said ratchet-teeth bear such relation to the teeth of the ratchet-wheel C that the teeth of the bar I) when the bar rises pass or ride freely thereover; but when said bar descends the ratchet-teeth thereof engage the teeth of the feed-screw wheel and cause said wheel to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and thereby rotates the screw in a manner to feed carbid to the generating-chamber. Said wheel and the conveyer are prevented from rotating in a reverse direction by means of a click (Z pivoted to the chute B and adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet-wheel. The bar I) is provided at its upper end with a weight D", which maintains the ratchet-teeth in engagement with said ratchet-wheel, and the upper end of the bar engages with a guide-arm I)", attached to any suitable stationary part of the apparatus and projecting toward said bar. The outer end of said guide-arm is provided with a stop (Z which limits the throw of said ratchet-bar.

The operation of the device is obvious from the foregoing, but may be briefly stated as follows: Carbid is fed to the water in the generating-chamber and effects the generation of gas, and said gas is fed to the holder A through the pipe (6, which causes the holder to rise. As said holder rises it carries upwardly with it the bar I) and connecting-bar D, and in the rising movement of the bar D the ratchet-teeth carried thereby ride over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel C, so that at this time the feed-conveyer C is stationary and no carbid is fed to the generating-chamber. Upon the discharge of gas from the holder and the reduction of pressure therein said holder descends by gravity and in descending carries downwardly the connectingbar I) and the ratchetbar D, and the ratchetteeth on said bar acts in the descent thereof on the teeth of the ratchet-Wheel C in a manner to rotate the screw 0, and thereby feed a quantity of the carbid to the generatingehamber. In this manner the carbid is intermittently fed to the generating-chamber, and the amount thereof fed to said chamber is controlled by the pressure of gas in the holder. The feed of the carbid. to the generating-chamber is thereby rendered entirely automatic and in accordance with the demands made upon the gas contained in the holder, so that no more gas is generated than is economically received by and disposed of from the holder.

The worm-screw shown is a convenient means of feeding the carbid to the generating chamber; but it will be understood that, so far as is concerned the other features of the construction, other feeding means may be em ployed.

Changes may be made in the structural details shown without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be limited to such details except as hereinafter made the subject of specific claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a gas-generator comprising a generating-chamber and a vertically-movable gas-holder, of an apparatus for feeding a gas-producingagent to the generating-chamber, comprising a feeding-chamber communicating with the generating-chamber, a feeding device therein, a ratchet-wheel connected with and operating the feeding device, a ratchet-bar engaging said ratchet-wheel, a reciprocatory bar loosely connected with the lower end of said ratchet-bar and connected at its upper end with the holder, said ratchetbar being inclined toward and resting against the ratchet-wheel by gravity, a guide for hold- ,ing the upper end of the bar from shifting laterally out of engagement with the ratchetwheel, the teeth of said ratchet-bar being constructed to ride over the teeth of the ratchetwheel during the rising movement of said holder, and to engage the teeth of said wheel to operate the feeding device during the descent of the holder, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said ratchet-wheel.

2. The combination with a gas-generator comprising a generating-chamber and a vertically-movable holder, of means for feeding a gas-producing agent to said generating-chamber, comprising a feeding-chamber communieating with the generating-chamber, a worm conveyer in said feeding-chamber, a ratchetwheel on the shaft of said worm conveyer, a ratchet-bar engaging said ratchet-wheel, a reciprocatory bar connected at its upper end with said holder and at its lower end with said ratchet-bar, said ratchet-bar being inclined toward and resting against the ratchetwheel by gravity, a guide for preventing the bar from moving laterally out of engagement with said ratchet-wheel, the teeth of said ratchet-bar riding over the teeth of said wheel in one direction of movement of the bar and adapted to engage said teeth to turn the wheel in the reverse direction of its movement, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said ratchetwheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of November,

ERICK L. IHLE. Witnesses:

WILLIAM L. HALL, GERTR'UDE BRYCE. 

